Spring cover



Jal-1. 10, 1933. H, KUECHLE 1,893,950

SPRING COVER Filed Dec. 4, 1929 Patented `lan. 10, 1933 :UNTED STATESPATENT `GFFICIE" HERBERT G. KUECI-ILE, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCCNSIN,SSIGNOBI, BY MESNE ASSIG'N-- MENTS, TO I-X-L METAL SPRING COVER COMPANY,.OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN SPRING COVER Application led December 4,1929.

This invention pertains to spring covers, and more particularly to metalcovers adapted to be folded and locked upon a leaf spring to snuglyengage the same andeffect a Acomplete housing therefor.

The'invention has primarily for its object to simplify and otherwiseimprove the present structures by the provision of an eX- ceedinglysimple onepiece cover, easily folded and locked upon a spring andaffording sufficient flexure to compensate for the action of the spring,thus materially reducing both the cost of manufacture and installation.u

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object .of the inventionresides in the provision of a spring cover unit formed from a singleblank of sheet metal locked upon the spring to snugly enclose the same,and folded transverselyupon itself to provide the necessary flexure lforthe action of the spring.

A still further object is to provide a cover of the foregoing character,in Which the sides and bottom of the cover are cut transverselyintermediate the ends of the cover to provide Ioverlapping engagement ofthe same, While the connecting top web of the cover, adJacent theslotted sides, is folded transversely upon itself to provide a hinge.

Withthe above and other objects in vievv, which -Will vappear as theAdescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially ashereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come Within the scope of the claims.

lnr the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of thephysical embodiment of the present invention constructed according tothe best mode so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof.

Serial No. 411,441.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side elevation of a conventionalseniifelliptic spring with a cover constructed in accorda-nce With thepresent invention applied thereto, parts being broken away and insection to more clearly illustrate structural features;

* Figure 2 is a bottoni plan elevation With parts broken away and insection;

Figure `8 is a fragmentary view of the blank prior to folding the sameupon the spring;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line as lof Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the hinged portionofthe cover; and

Figure 6 is a detail section taken .on the line 6"-.6 of Figure lillustrating one method of locking the cover on'a spring.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the`numeral 1 designates a conventional semi-elliptic spring comprising atop lea-f 2 provided at its extreme ends With'th-e usual eyes '3.Underlying 'the top spring leaf 2 are a plurality of progressivelyshorter leaves 4 which are secured together by the Ubolts 5 whichstraddle the leaves and secure the same to a spring saddle 6, the latterusually forming a part of the aXle of the vehicle.

From the foregoing, -it Will `benoted :that the laminated springI l isca able of vertical flexure when the Weight of the vehicle is placedupon the .eyes 3, and in such action the leaves will necessarily engageone another throughout their entire length and have a relativelongitudinal movement as the spring is flexed.

The present invention, which aims to re.- duce manufacturing costs to Lminimum, and also simplify the operation of assembling a metal cover-ona spring, provides a one-piece cover 7, preferably Aformed from a singleblank of sheet meta-l of any desired length, depending upon the springtowhich the same is to be applied. e

Due to the fact that the cover must have a certain amount of flexure tocompensate for the vertical action of the spring. The blank from whichthe cover is formed is slotted or cut out. transversely at 8, leaving alongitudinal connecting web 9, which, when assembled upon a spring,extends across the entire width of the top of the spring. It will thusbe noted that the cut out portions 8 extend only through the sides andbottom of the cover.

In manufacture, the blank may be bent longitudinally along the dottedlines 10 to facilitate forming the same about the spring, while thelongitudinal edges may be folded back upon themselves along the lines 11to provide interengaging lips 12 for locking the cover on the spring, asbest shown in Figure 4.

Prior to assembling the cover on the spring, the web 9, extending theentire width of the top portion of the cover, is folded upon itselftransversely along the dotted lines 13 in Figure 3, thus forming theflexible hinge 14, as best shown in Figures 1 and 5.

In folding the web 9 upon itself, it will be seen that the adjacentcut-out edges 8 of the sides and bottom of the cover, will be broughtinto overlapping engagement to provide a se? cure joint between thecut-out portions, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. Obviously, informing the cover, as many hinges as necessary can be provided,depending upon the length of spring to be covered. In the conventionalspring illustrated, two folds or hinges are provided, but this numbermay be readily increased or reduced, depending upon the length of springand the amount of action required of the same.

In assembling the cover upon a spring, the longitudinal bottom portionsare overlapped and the lips 12 brought into interlocking engagement tosecure the cover on the spring, as best shown in Figure 4. However, itis to be understood that various means may-be employed for securing theoverlapped longitudinal edges of the cover together, such as forinstance, welding, rivetting, or the like.

Due to the fact that the sides and bottom of the cover are brought intooverlapping engagement, when the cover is assembled upon a spring, theinterengaging tongues 12 must also overlap and, therefore, one of thebottom seams is bent downwardly, as shown at 15 in Figure 5, to receivethe adjacent seam 16.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that a very simple and inexpensivecover has been provided which can be readily assembled upon a springwith a minimum effort, thus materially reducingr both the cost ofmanufacture of the cover and installation of the same.

At the present time, the majority of metal covers in use comprise notonly a plurality of sections, but each sectional unit consists of aplurality of elements. Thus, in assembling the cover on a spring, theoperator is required to handle numerous parts of different sizes whichmust all bc assembled in correct relative positions, thus requiring ahigh degree of precaution and consuming considerable time, which is animportant item in present production methods, particularly theautomobile industry where assembling is effected through continuous,progressive operations.

In operation, it will be quite apparent that the folded hinge 14, incooperation with the overlapping sides and bottoms of the cover,provides a lexure which will readily compensate for the vertical actionof the spring and at the same time affords an especially tight andsecure housing.

While the same forms no part of the invention, it is to be understoodthat in assembling the cover upon a spring, the spring may first bewrapped with the usual lubricant retaining fabric or cover, thusinsuring proper lubrication of the spring, as well as completely housingthe same against moisture and dirt.

I claim:

l. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top,sides and bottom of a spring, and provided with a transverse fold in itstop portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical tlexure ofthe spring and cause the adjacent portions of the cover to overlaptransversely in alinement with said fold, and having its longitudinaledges secured together along the bottom of the spring.

2. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top,sides and bottom of a spring and provided with a transverse fold in itstop portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical flexure ofthe spring, and having its remaining portions overlapping each other intransverse alinement with said fold, and means for securing the lon tudinal edges of said cover together along le bottom of the spring.

3. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top,sides and bottom of a spring and provided with a transverse fold in itstop portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical exure ofthe spring, the side and bottom portions of said cover being cuttransversely in alinement with said fold and the adjacent portions beingoverlapped upen each other, and means for securing the longitudinaledges of said cover together along the bottom of said spring.

4. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top,sides and bottom of a spring and provided with a transverse hinge in itstop portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical flexure ofthe spring, said hinge being formed by folding the top portion back uponitself, the side and bottom portions of the cover being cut transverselyand the portions adjacent said cut being overlapped, and means forsecuring the longitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottomof the spring.

5. A spring cover adapted to snugly tit the top, sides and bottom of aspring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal and provided with atransverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends of the blank tocompensate for vertical ieXure of the spring and cause the adjacentportions of the cover to overlap transversely in alinement with saidfold, and having its longitudinal edges secured together along thebottom of the spring.

6. A spring cover adapted to snugly lit the top, sides and bottom of aspring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal and provided with atransverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends of the blank tocompensate for vertical fleXure of the spring, the side and bottomportions of said cover being cut transversely in alinement with saidfold and the adjacent portions being overlapped upon each other, andmeans for securing the longitudinal edges of said cover together alongthe bottom of said spring.

7. A spring cover adapted to snugly t the top, sides and bottom of aspring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal and provided with atransverse hinge in its top portion intermediate the ends to compensatefor vertical fiexure of the spring, said hinge being formed by foldingthe top portion back upon itself, the side and bottoni portions of thecover being cut transversely and the adjacent portions overlapping eachother in alinement with said fold, and means for securing thelongitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottom of thespring.

8. A spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top, sides and bottom of aspring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal having its side andbottom portions cut transversely, the top portion of said cover beingfolded back upon itself adjacent said cuts, causing j the side andbottom portions of the cover adjacent said cutout portions to overlapeach other, and means for securing the longitudinal edges of said covertogether along the bottom of the spring.

9. A cover for a vehicle springk consisting lie one side of the springand having a plurality of edge sections formed from the central portionin overlapping relationship, said edge sections on opposite edges of thespring being wide enough so as to bend over and cover the other side ofthe spring, and means for locking the initial free edges together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin HERBERT G.KUECHLE.

of a single sheet of metal formed channelshaped for embracing two sidesand both edges of the spring, 'means for providing overlap of the metalalong the edges of the spring, and one side, said free edges of thechannel being locked together to hold the cover on the spring.

l0. In a spring cover comprising a single piece of metal, anuninterrupted web portion and having portions of its side overlappingwhen in a straight line position and adapted to maintain saidoverlapping relation under spring fiexures to either side of normalposition.

l1. A one-piece metal cover for vehicle springs comprising al centralportion to over-

